Special Coverage

Came Home best in Juvenile

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Came Home booked a spot in the $250,000 Del Mar Futurity later this summer with a four-length win in Sunday's $107,400 Hollywood Juvenile Championship.

Chris McCarron never struck Came Home, who finished six furlongs in 1:09.20, comfortably ahead of an unlucky Metatron, who took up on the turn.

Breaking from the rail, Came Home ($2.60) quickly took the lead and was never headed. He set fractions of 21.90 and 44.91 seconds and led by 2 1-2 lengths entering the stretch.

"Last time, he stumbled out of the gate," McCarron said. "Today, he broke well and showed speed. He rated nicely up there, too. He doesn't run off and stampede."

Metatron, a maiden winner in his only start at Bay Meadows, was checked on the turn. When he launched a rally in the stretch, it was too late to challenge the winner. A Major Pleasure, sent off at 45-1, finished third, followed by Tracemark, Tim's Talent and Phoney Gold.

McCarron handrode Came Home in the final furlong. By Gone West, Came Home is unbeaten in two starts with earnings of $91,440.

"He won geared down," said John Toffan, who co-owns Came Home with Trudy McCaffery.

Trained by Paco Gonzalez, Came Home is likely to skip the Best Pal Stakes in August in favor of the Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 5, Toffan said.